Container Cup Package

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates to a system and method for containing a pre-packaged food container within an outer container having a lid component. The pre-packaged food container has a flange on an upper most portion and a food product contained within. The outer container has a container wall defining a shoulder positioned radially within and a rim located radially on an upper most portion of the container wall. The shoulder is configured to retain the flange of the pre-packaged food container. The lid component is configured to attach to the rim of the outer container.

CROSS-REFERENCE

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C §119(e) ofProvisional U.S. Patent Application No. 62/073,694 filed on Oct. 31,2014, and entitled “CONTAINER CUP PACKAGE,” the content of which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to a food container, and morespecifically, to a container for containing a pre-packaged foodcontainer.

BACKGROUND

Food containers have been around for many years to store and preservefood contents. These containers are used for many purposes, such as forstoring food in a refrigerator or freezer, cooking in a microwave oroven, serving, and transporting food items. They come in a variety ofsizes and shapes and can hold small volume items to large volume itemssuch as for commercial food storage. In the food industry, foodcontainers are used to hold items in solid, granular or powder form,such as dry cereal, and in liquid form, such as juice and soda.Containers can be vacuum sealed to prevent premature spoiling or mayhave secure lids to prevent spilling and can be made from a variety ofmaterials including glass, plastic, ceramic, metal, or the like. Avariety of containers for storing food products exist, such as, forexample, ziploc containers, disposable food containers, take outcontainers, or the like.

Food containers may also come in a variety of configurations to storeand separate the contents within one food container, and may be referredto as nesting containers. Nesting containers may comprise multiplecompartments that can fit together. This can provide an easy way forsomeone to carry a wide variety of foods in one container. This can alsoprovide someone to store toppings or mixtures separately within onecontainer with the intent of combining the contents of the containersprior to consuming. An example of this includes U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,865(hereinafter “the '865 patent”). The '865 patent purports to describe achocolate yogurt containing device configured to store the yogurt and achocolate mixture separately. A first containment device is used tostore the yogurt and a second containment device is used to store thechocolate. When someone is ready to consume the chocolate yogurt, theyopen each container and mix them together, for example, by pouring thecontents of the second container into the first container.

Food containers also exist for storing pre-packaged food containers. Inexample of this includes a pet food bowl, whereby a pre-packaged petfood container is placed in the food bowl and the cover is removedallowing a pet to access. The food bowl may prevent the pre-packagedcontainer from sliding around and spilling, and it provides an easymethod for cleaning up. After feeding is done, the container is removed,and minimal cleaning of the actual bowl is required.

However, existing containers have limited additional space for addingadditional toppings or contents to a pre-packaged food container. Thisgenerally entails either removing the contents from the pre-packagedmaterial and placing them into a larger container or minimizing theamount of additional toppings added. Thus, an improved containmentdevice for supporting a pre-packaged food container having enough headspace to allow for receiving toppings is desired.

SUMMARY

The disclosure relates generally to a combination package which includesand outer container and a pre-packaged food container, such as a yogurtcontainer. The pre-packaged food container may fit within and besupported by the outer container. The outer container is configured toallow for a space between the top of the outer container and the top ofthe pre-packaged food container when the food container is placed withinthe outer container, such that additional contents may be added to thecombination package.

An aspect of the present disclosure provides a combination package. Thecombination package includes a pre-packaged food container and an outercontainer. The pre-packaged food container includes a cup, a supportportion, and a spoonable product. The cup has a sidewall that has anupper sidewall portion and a lower sidewall portion. The support portionis circumferentially spaced on the sidewall of the cup. The spoonableproduct is supported within the cup.

The outer container defines a cup-shaped chamber having an outer wall.The outer wall defines a shoulder located radially around the outerwall. The cup-shaped chamber is configured to house the pre-packagedfood container, such that the support portion of the food container islocated on the shoulder. An outer diameter of the support portion isgreater than then a lowermost diameter of the shoulder such that thesupport portion of the food container rests on the shoulder of the outercontainer. The outer container has a height greater than a height of thepre-packaged food container, thereby forming a headspace above thepre-packaged food container capable of receiving toppings.

Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method of preparingand transporting a food product. The method comprises providing apre-packaged food container including an open-topped cup, a flangepositioned radially around a sidewall of the cup, and a spoonableproduct in the cup; providing an outer container defining a cup-shapedchamber having an outer wall, the outer wall defines a shoulder locatedradially around the outer wall, and wherein the cup-shaped chamber isconfigured to house the pre-packaged food container, wherein an outerdiameter of the flange is greater than then lowermost diameter of theshoulder such that the flange of the food container rests in theshoulder of the outer container, the outer container has a heightgreater than a height of the pre-packaged food container to enableforming a headspace above the pre-packaged food; providing toppingsconfigured to be placed into the open-topped cup while it is located inthe outer container; and providing a lid capable of engaging a rim ofthe outer container to enclose the open-topped cup and toppings.

Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a plastic outercontainer having an outer cup and a lid. The plastic outer containercomprising a frusto-conical sidewall extending from a standing ring, arim located at an uppermost portion of the sidewall, and a concave,circumferential shoulder formed in the sidewall. The rim is adapted forreceiving the lid. The shoulder is configured such that the outerdiameter of a support portion of a pre-packaged food cup is greater thanthen lowermost diameter of the shoulder such that the support portion ofthe food container rests on the shoulder of the outer container. Theouter container has a height greater than a height of the pre-packagedfood container, thereby capable of forming a headspace above thepre-packaged food container capable of receiving toppings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic of a container cup package, according to an aspectof the disclosure.

FIG. 2A is a side view of an outer container, according to an aspect ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 2B is a side view of the top of an outer container, according to anaspect of the disclosure.

FIG. 3A is a side view of a lid, according to an aspect of thedisclosure.

FIG. 3B is a side view the top of a lid, according to an aspect of thedisclosure.

FIG. 4A is a side view a pre-packaged food container, according to anaspect of the disclosure.

FIG. 4B is a side view the top of a pre-packaged food container,according to an aspect of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a side view a pre-packaged food container within an outercontainer, according to an aspect of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of an outer container, according to anaspect of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a side view an outer container, accordingto an aspect of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 is an illustration a top view of an outer container, according toan aspect of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The following description is of an exemplary embodiment of the inventionand is not intended to limit the scope or applicability on the inventionin any way. Rather, the following description is intended to provideconvenient illustrations for implementing various embodiments of theinvention.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a cross sectional view of an embodiment ofa combination package 10 including a pre-packaged food container 400, alid component 300, and an outer container 100, according to an aspect ofthe disclosure. The pre-packaged food container 400 is positioned withinthe outer container 100 and the lid component 300 is securedly andremovably attached to the outer container 100.

Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the outer container 100 includes an outerwall 102 and a base 104. The outer wall 102 and the base 104 are formedtogether in a unit to form a chamber 114, such that no fluid can flowthrough the coupling. The chamber 114 may define a cup-shape. The outercontainer 100 is preferably formed of a conventional plastic, such aspolystyrene, polyethylene, PVC, LDPE, PET or the like, and by aconventional process, such by injection molding, blow molding,thermoforming, or other similar process. Preferably, the outer container100 may be transparent.

The outer wall 102 includes an upper section 106, a lower section 108,and a shoulder 116. The upper section 106 is spaced from the lowersection 108 along a longitudinal direction D, and the shoulder 116 ispositioned in between the upper section 106 and the lower section 108 inthe longitudinal direction D. A height H1 of the outer wall 102 extendsfrom an upper most portion of the upper section 106 to a lower mostportion of the lower section 108. It should be appreciated that the useof the term “upper” refers to a location closer to the upper section 106in the longitudinal direction D, accordingly, the term “lower” or“below” refers to a location closer to the lower section 108.Additionally, “upper direction” refers to the direction from the lowersection 108 toward the upper section 106, while “lower direction” refersto the direction from the upper section 106 to the lower section 108.

The upper section 106 includes a rim 110 that defines an opening 112.The rim 110 is circumferential about the upper most portion of the uppersection 106 in a radial direction R. The rim 110 has an inner rimdiameter d1 that is substantially similar to a diameter of the uppermost portion of the upper section 106, and an outer rim diameter d2,whereby the rim 110 extends in the radial direction R from the inner rimdiameter d1 to the outer rim diameter d2. The upper section 106 may havea frusto-conical shape that extends from an upper shoulder portion 120of the shoulder 116 to an upper most portion of upper section 106. Theinner rim diameter d1 may be greater than a diameter of a lower mostportion (not labeled) of the upper section 106.

The shoulder 116 is positioned lower than and directly below the uppersection 106, whereby a diameter of the lower most portion of the uppersection 106 is substantially similar to an upper shoulder diameter d3 ofan upper shoulder portion 120 of the shoulder 116 at the juncture. Theshoulder 116 has a lower shoulder diameter d4 and is formed by the outerwall 102 and extends radially around the longitudinal direction D. Theshoulder 116 may also have a frusto-conical shape extending from a lowershoulder portion 118 to the upper shoulder portion 120 of the shoulder116, such that the lower shoulder diameter d4 is less than the uppershoulder diameter d3. The frusto-conical shape of the shoulder 116 mayhave an angle Φ, which is the angle between the longitudinal direction Dand the line extending from the lower shoulder portion 118 to the uppershoulder portion 120 of the shoulder 116. The angle Φ ranges from justabove 0 degrees to 90 degrees. It should be appreciated that the angle Φmay be greater than an angle Q between the longitudinal direction D anda line 121 extending from the lower most portion of the upper section106 to the upper most portion of the upper section 106.

The upper section 106 has a height H2 that extends in the longitudinaldirection D and the lower section 108 has a height H3 that extends inthe longitudinal direction D. The height H2 is less than the height H3,however, it should be appreciated that in another aspect thisdisclosure, the height H3 may be less than the height H2. Theconfiguration of the diameters d1, d2, d3, and d4, the heights H2 andH3, and/or the angle Φ of the shoulder 116 may depend upon the size anddimension of a container positioned within, for example, the size anddimension of the pre-packaged food container 400.

Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, side views of the lid component 300 areshown, according to an aspect of the disclosure. The lid component 300is configured to removably attach to the outer container 100. The lidcomponent 300 includes an upper lid section 302 and a lower lid section304 located below the upper lid section 302 in a longitudinal directionE. The upper lid section 302 and the lower lid section 304 are spacedradially about the longitudinal direction E in the radial direction R′,and form a headspace 316.

The upper lid section 302 defines a recess 306. The recess 306 has anouter recess edge 308 and a base 310. The recess is formed by theintersection of the edge 308 with the base 310, which are spacedradially about the upper lid section 302 in a radial direction R′. Thebase is positioned lower than the upper most portion of the upper lidsection 302 along a longitudinal direction E. The recess 306 isconfigured to support a container, for example, the outer wall 102 andthe base 104 of the outer container 100.

The lower lid section 304 (FIG. 3B) has a lid base 310 having a basediameter d5, a rim support 312 having a first attachment diameter d6,and a rim lock 314 having a second attachment diameter d7. Each diameterd5, d6, and d7 extends about the longitudinal axis E in the radialdirection R′. The second attachment diameter d7 is less than the firstattachment diameter d6. The length of base diameter d5 is greater thanthe diameters of d6 and d7, and the lengths of the diameters d6 and d7are such that a rim of a container or cup can be positioned radially inbetween. For example, the first attachment diameter d6 may be configuredto have a diameter that is less than the outer rim diameter d2 of therim 110 of the outer container 100, and the second attachment diameterd7 may be configured to have a diameter greater than outer rim diameterd2 of the rim 110 when the rim 110 is positioned radially in betweendiameters d6 and d7.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a side view of a pre-packaged food container400 and a side view of a top portion of a pre-packaged food container400, respectively. It should be appreciated that in an aspect of thisdisclosure, the pre-packaged food container 400 may be a yogurt cup,soup cup, or similar cup configured to hold a fluid or spoonableproduct.

The food container 400 includes an inner container sidewall 402, whichhas a top inner section 404, a flange or first support portion 408, anda lower inner section 406. The height H4 of the food container 400extends from the upper most portion of the top inner section 404 to thelower most portion of the lower inner section 406.

The top inner section 404 includes an inner rim or second supportportion 410 that defines an opening 412. The inner rim 410 is spacedradially about the upper most portion of the top inner section 404 in aradial direction R″. The inner rim 410 has an inner and outer rimdiameter d9 and d8, respectively, whereby the inner rim 410 extends inthe radial direction R″ from the inner rim diameter d9 to the outer rimdiameter d8.

The flange 408 is positioned in between the top inner section 404 andthe lower inner section 406 in a longitudinal direction F. The flange408 extends radially about the longitudinal direction F in the radialdirection R″. The flange 408 has an inner flange diameter d10 and anouter flange diameter (not labeled) that is substantially similar to theinner rim diameter d9. The flange 408 may be frusto-conical in shape,whereby the inner flange diameter d10 is less than inner rim diameterd9. The flange 408 extends between a lower flange portion 414 and anupper flange portion 416 at a flange angle E. The flange angle E extendsbetween the longitudinal direction F and a line 417 extending betweenthe lower flange portion 414 and the upper flange portion 416. Theflange angle E may be in a range from 0 to 90 degrees.

The top inner section 404 has a height H5 that extends in thelongitudinal direction F and the lower inner section 406 has a height H6that extends in the longitudinal direction F. The height H5 is less thanthe height H6, such that when the flange 408 is positioned on top of orsupported by a shoulder, movement of the food container 400 may beminimized. The configuration of the diameters d8, d9, and d10, theheights H4, H5, and H6, and/or the flange angle E of the flange 408depend upon the size and dimension of a container for which the foodcontainer 400 is positioned within, for example, the size and dimensionof the outer container 100.

FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the pre-packaged food container 400positioned within the outer container 100. When the pre-packaged foodcontainer 400 is positioned within the outer container 100, thelongitudinal axes D and F of each container 100, 400 are aligned. In anaspect of this disclosure, the height H4 of the food container 400 isless than the height H1 of the outer container 100, such that the entirefood container 400 is housed within the outer container 100.Accordingly, the height H3 of the outer container 100 is greater thanthe height H6 of the food container 400, and the height H2 of the outercontainer 100 is greater than the height H5 of the food container 400.

A outer container headspace 502 is formed when the pre-packaged foodcontainer 400 is positioned within the outer container 100. The outercontainer headspace 502 is formed in the upper section 106 of the outerwall 102 of the outer container 100. The outer container headspace 502is capable of receiving toppings.

The flange 408 of the food container 400 and the shoulder 116 of theouter container 100 are configured to align, whereby the food container400 may be retained, supported, rested, or otherwise held in place bythe shoulder 116 of the outer container 100. According to an aspect ofthis disclosure, the lower shoulder diameter d4 of the shoulder 116 isnot greater than the inner flange diameter d10 of the flange 408. Theshoulder 116 may also be a substantially horizontal shelf for receivingthe flange 408.

FIG. 6 illustrates another aspect of an outer container 600, accordingto this disclosure. The outer container 700 may include a containersidewall 602 with a shoulder 604 defined thereon. The shoulder 604 maybe configured to receive a rim of a food container, such as the innerrim 410 of the food container 400.

FIGS. 7-8 illustrate another aspect of an outer container 700 includinga shoulder recess 702 within a shoulder 704. The shoulder recess 702extends radially around the shoulder 704. The shoulder recess 702 has anupper end 706, a lower end 708, and a middle section 710 positionedbetween the upper end 706 and the lower end. The diameter of the middlesection 710 is greater than the diameters of the upper end 706 and thelower end 708, such that a rim of a food container, such as the innerrim 410 of the food container 400, may be retained within the middlesection 710 of the shoulder recess 702. In an aspect of this disclosure,the shoulder recess 702 may be a snap fit.

According to an aspect of this disclosure, a method for preparing andtransporting a food product may include the steps of: providing thepre-packaged food container 400 in the shape of an open-topped cup andhaving food contents, providing the outer container 100 defining thecup-shaped chamber 114, inserting the pre-packaged food container 400into the cup-shaped chamber 114, providing toppings configured to beplaced into the open-topped cup while it is located in the outercontainer 100, and providing the lid 300 capable of engaging the rim 110of the outer container 100 to enclose the open-topped cup and toppings.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing description provides examplesof the disclosed system and method. However, it is contemplated thatother implementations of the disclosure may differ in detail from theforegoing examples. All references to the disclosure or examples thereofare intended to reference the particular example being discussed at thatpoint and are not intended to imply any limitation as to the scope ofthe disclosure more generally. All language of distinction anddisparagement with respect to certain features is intended to indicate alack of preference for those features, but not to exclude such from thescope of the disclosure entirely unless otherwise indicated.

Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as ashorthand method of referring individually to each separate valuefalling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and eachseparate value is incorporated into the specification as if it wereindividually recited herein. All methods described herein can beperformed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein orotherwise clearly contradicted by context.

What is claimed:
 1. A combination package comprising: a pre-packagedfood container including: a cup having a sidewall, the sidewall havingan upper sidewall portion and a lower sidewall portion; a supportportion circumferentially spaced on the sidewall of the cup; and aspoonable product supported within the cup; and an outer containerdefining a cup-shaped chamber having an outer wall, wherein the outerwall defines a shoulder located radially around the outer wall, andwherein the cup-shaped chamber is configured to house the pre-packagedfood container, such that the support portion of the food container islocated on the shoulder, wherein an outer diameter of the supportportion is greater than then a lowermost diameter of the shoulder suchthat the support portion of the food container rests on the shoulder ofthe outer container; the outer container has a height greater than aheight of the pre-packaged food container, thereby forming a headspaceabove the pre-packaged food container capable of receiving toppings. 2.The combination package of claim 1, wherein an uppermost diameter of theshoulder is less than the outer diameter of the support portion.
 3. Thecombination package of claim 1, wherein the support portion is a flange,wherein the flange is positioned between the upper sidewall portion andthe lower sidewall portion of the sidewall of the cup.
 4. Thecombination package of claim 1, wherein the support portion is a rim,wherein the rim is located on the upper sidewall portion of the sidewallof the cup.
 5. The combination package of claim 4, wherein the shoulderincludes a shoulder recess that extends radially around the shoulder,the shoulder recess having an upper end, a lower end, and a middlesection positioned between the upper end and the lower end, wherein adiameter of the middle section is greater than the diameters of theupper end and the lower end, and wherein the rim is retained within themiddle section of the shoulder recess.
 6. The combination package ofclaim 5, wherein the shoulder recess is a snap fit.
 7. The combinationpackage of claim 6, wherein the outer container is formed ofpolystyrene.
 8. The combination package of claim 7, wherein the outercontainer is transparent.
 9. The combination package of claim 1, whereinthe outer container is thermoformed.
 10. A method of preparing andtransporting a food product, comprising the steps of: providing apre-packaged food container including an open-topped cup, a flangepositioned radially around a sidewall of the cup, and a spoonableproduct in the cup; providing an outer container defining a cup-shapedchamber having an outer wall, the outer wall defines a shoulder locatedradially around the outer wall, and wherein the cup-shaped chamber isconfigured to house the pre-packaged food container, wherein an outerdiameter of the flange is greater than then lowermost diameter of theshoulder such that the flange of the food container rests in theshoulder of the outer container, the outer container has a heightgreater than a height of the pre-packaged food container to enableforming a headspace above the pre-packaged food; providing toppingsconfigured to be placed into the open-topped cup while it is located inthe outer container; and providing a lid capable of engaging a rim ofthe outer container to enclose the open-topped cup and toppings.
 11. Themethod of claim 9, further comprising the placing the cup into the outercontainer.
 12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps ofopening the food container by removing a lid from the cup.
 13. Themethod of claim 10, further comprising the steps of scooping thetoppings into the headspace after the step of placing the cup into thecontainer.
 14. A plastic outer container having an outer cup and a lidcomprising: a frusto-conical sidewall extending from a standing ring; arim located at an uppermost portion of the sidewall, the rim beingadapted for receiving the lid; a concave, circumferential shoulderformed in the sidewall, the shoulder configured such that the outerdiameter of a support portion of a pre-packaged food cup is greater thanthen lowermost diameter of the shoulder such that the support portion ofthe food container rests on the shoulder of the outer container, and theouter container has a height greater than a height of the pre-packagedfood container, thereby capable of forming a headspace above thepre-packaged food container capable of receiving toppings.
 15. Theplastic outer container of claim 14, wherein a lower most diameter ofthe shoulder is no greater than an outer diameter of the support portionsuch that the support portion is retained in the shoulder.
 16. Theplastic outer container of claim 14, wherein an uppermost diameter ofthe shoulder is less than the outer diameter of the support portion. 17.The plastic outer container of claim 14, wherein the shoulder includes ashoulder recess that extends radially around the shoulder, the shoulderrecess having an upper end, a lower end, and a middle section positionedbetween the upper end and the lower end, wherein a diameter of themiddle section is greater than the diameters of the upper end and thelower end, and wherein the support portion is retained within the middlesection of the shoulder recess.
 18. The plastic outer container of claim17, wherein the shoulder recess is a snap fit.
 19. The plastic outercontainer of claim 19, wherein the outer container is formed ofpolystyrene.
 20. The plastic outer container of claim 20, wherein theouter container is transparent.